The Story of V: Opening Pandora's Box

The Story of V: Opening Pandora's Box

by Catherine Blackledge (Author)

Synopsis

It is the seat of female sexual pleasure, the passage for both the creation and the birth of humankind, and the channel for menstrual blood. Yet we know less about the vagina - its structure and function - than we do about any other organ of the human body. Why? THE STORY OF V explores how female genitalia have been conceived and misconceived over the centuries and today. A new look is long overdue. More than two millennia of misinformation has resulted in a western culture where we hold back from mentioning or showing the vagina; where this organ when seen publically is most commonly viewed as pornographic; and where, of all the organs of the human body, the vagina remains the most clouded in mystery, myth and biased, out-dated beliefs. In the past, medicine has misrepresented female sexual anatomy, reducing its remarkable complexities to the notion of a passive vessel. But, as this book shows, science is at last beginning to reveal the true structure and function of female genitalia, and the dynamic nature of the vagina's role in both sexual pleasure and reproduction. The result is nothing less than a vaginal revolution. With a wide-ranging perspective that takes in prehistoric art, ancient history, linguistics, mythology, evolutinary theory, reproductive biology and medicine, Catherine Blackledge unveils the hidden marvels of the female form.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Published: 21 Aug 2003

ISBN 10: 0297607065
ISBN 13: 9780297607069
Book Overview: 'A great idea - virgin territory' - Roy Porter Hot on the heels of the international success of the play The Vagina Monologues.

Media Reviews
Catherine's book featured in an article in the October edition of SHE Magazine and she is currently writing a feature for the Erotic Review. Catherine has done a live interview for Spin Radio, Dublin and pre-recorded an interview for the Science Program on ABC Radio, Australia. She will be interviewed for Everywoman, BBC World Service on 17th September and for a series for Women's Hour on women's bodies later this autumn, SexTV, an internationally syndicated television documentary also wish to interview her. Catherine spoke at a bookstore event in Manchester, linked to the BA Festival of Science and an interview with her was published in Manchester Metro to publicise this event and the book. Excellent reviews have appeared in the Observer, Guardian, Irish Times and Financial Times. Sky Text also gave the book an excellent review (BSkyB version of teletext). Reviews are due to appear in the men's magazine Jack and in Ergo - a sustainable lifestyle magazine. '... a mind-boggling smorgasbord of fanny facts ... the author is a phenomenal researcher'Joanne Briscoe, The Guardian 'This is an empowering and enlightening book for women ....'Katie Donovan, Irish Times 'The Story of V is fascinating, unsalacious and would impress even repressed 1950s house-wives.'SkyText Future events are planned for the new Dana Centre at the Science Museum, London and Cath has been put forward as a speaker at the Cheltenham and Edinburgh Science Festivals. Cath will also sign books in Sh, Women's Erotic Emporium, London who wish to make the book their book of the week.
Author Bio
Catherine Blackledge has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Birkbeck College, London. She has worked as a reporter, news editor and editor for numerous specialist publications, including EUROPEAN CHEMICAL NEWS and PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESS NEWS, and is a former science and medical correspondent for THE EUROPEAN. She is now a freelance science writer and broadcaster. In 1999, she was shortlisted for the prestigious Glaxo Science Writers Prize.